The Continued Life and Times of Beth Greene
by Pixin
Summary: Beth escapes Grady Memorial hospital the same time as Noah. How will her story unfold? (Beth and Daryl romance involved. Hopefully I'll accurately depict it.) I do not own The Walking dead. All credit goes to the real creators.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is actually my very first fan fiction. I just wanted to share how I envisioned Beth's survival. I really do love The Walking Dead with all my heart, but Beth's death really broke my heart. So I decided to begin writing what I wished would have gone down. It picks up right when Noah escapes Grady Memorial, except Beth gets out too! I just wanted to post what I have so far, even though it isn't much. I've got some really good ideas to write about, and I'm really excited. So yeah. Enjoy. **_(Warning, I'm a sucker for a good romance, so Bethyl is involved in the near future.)_

BETH

Beth was running for her life out of Grady Memorial Hospital. Walkers were surrounding her from almost every direction. She was beginning to panic, but then she remembered Daryl was waiting for her. She was so used to fighting with Daryl, she missed him. Noah was fighting in front of her for his life. He said he wasn't a weakling, and he was right. He was holding his own as best he could. He fought nothing like Daryl did, he was messier. He wasn't as practiced and moved slower.

Daryl was all she had anymore, so she had to fight to see him again.

Beth looked around and realized they were in a parking lot. There was a chain link fence towards the other end. She stabbed a walker in the head and took off for the hole in the fence. Noah was close behind her stabbing along the way. They both slipped through the fence and ran as fast as their legs would carry them. She heard gun fire as soon as they slipped through. Shards of concrete flew as the bastard cops from the hospital shot at her feet.

There were walkers all over the road. Beth and Noah stuck together and fought as they went. For never fighting together they were doing well. Noah may have been living in a cushy hospital for the past year, but he stayed in shape. He never missed a beat, running off of the adrenaline of escaping, despite his injured leg. The cops must've been discouraged by the terrifying amount of walkers because they didn't follow.

"We gotta find shelter, regroup. We need supplies," Noah grunted as he took out his fourteenth walker.

"I know," Beth panted. "Let's just get outta this herd and start headin' outta the city."

They kept going as fast as they safely could. Beth took out more than she could count. There was no way she was going to die in Atlanta. She had come to far to go out like this.

Noah grunted as he pushed off a putrid walker and sloppily stabbed it's skull. He had never really been in this kind of situation. He knew he was on the verge of panicking, but knew if he panicked he was dead. The thought of his family in Virginia was the only thing keeping him going for real. The twins, his mom, all the others of his old group. Nothing could stop him now that he was out of Grady Memorial.

"C'mon! Down that alley!" Beth said. They took off down an empty alley. Well, empty of "living" walkers. There were dead bodies lining the walls and putrified corpses in huge piles. The dumpsters were overflowing with the the dead. Apparently someone had tried to clean up the place, Beth thought morbidly.

"Look, there's a fire escape latter," Noah said. The walkers were flowing into the alley. If they got trapped in the alley, they knew they were dead.

Noah's injured leg up until this point hadn't seriously hindered him. Climbing would be a challenge though. Beth began to climb the pile of corpses to reach the fire escape's latter. She never gagged anymore, she was so used to it. Noah on the other hand looked like he was ready to puke.

Beth reached the top of the pile, and jumped for the latter. The latter came down, screeching the entire time. As soon as it was down, the walkers fell upon them again. Beth jumped from the four foot pile of walkers and began to stab.

"Hurry! Get up the latter!" Beth hollered at Noah. Noah climbed the pile clumsily and started up. Beth kept fighting on the ground, and pulled out her small hand gun as a last resort. She quickly took out eight walkers to be safe.

Beth scrambled up the pile and was on the third rung of the latter when two walkers latched onto her leg. At that moment she felt pure fear. She screamed out of utter shock, and kicked. Beth never fought harder in her life.

Noah heard Beth's frantic scream and reacted immediately. He whipped his pistol out, and fired at the head of the evil shits attached to her. The walkers fell to the pile and Beth hurried up the latter to safety.


	2. Chapter 2

Beth and Noah were standing on the fire escape landing looking down at the swarm. Beth was still shaken, but had to pull it together. She had to stay strong to make it home.

"C'mon, lets go in through the window," Beth muttered under her breath. She was suddenly extremely tired and just needed to sit down.

Beth scooted around Noah on the narrow fire escape, and tapped on the apartment window. The grating was making her dizzy, especially with the snarling walkers below. She tapped again, trying to draw out walkers in the apartment, if there were any. There was no movement inside, so she busted the glass with the butt of her now empty gun.

"You know, you could'a just opened the window," Noah said sarcastically.

Beth looked up, and just stared at him for a second. "I don't really give damn," she said. Beth kicked out the remaining glass and ducked into the window. She had apparently come in through the bedroom. Beth walked through the room with her knife at the ready, and opened the door she was guessing went to the rest of the apartment.

Carefully, Beth pulled the door open. It was a closet. How anticlimactic, she thought.

Noah opened the only other door and smugly walked into the hall.

"Be careful, check for walkers," Beth said, "and don't rush."

"Yeah," Noah said under his breath.

Beth rummaged through the closet looking for clean clothes. Might as well while she had the chance. The scrubs were surprisingly comfortable, but now were covered in walker ick. The closet looked like it belonged to a business woman, but there were some practical clothes in the back. Beth pulled a blue long sleeve t-shirt off a hanger. She began stripping and threw the shirt on. She found a pair of jeans that were only a size too big. She slipped them on and stepped back into her shoes.

"It's all clear Beth," Noah hollered from some where else in the apartment.

"Okay, I'll be right out," She said back.

The whole bedroom seemed untainted by the mess outside. There was a dress box hiding under all the impractical shoes. She pulled it out and opened it. Inside was a gorgeous, black, leather jacket. When she saw it she immediately thought of Daryl. She had to find him. If she knew Daryl, he had to of tracked that car as long as possible. She had become attached to the gruff redneck. He was all she had left.

Beth slipped the jacket out and knew it had to be high quality leather. She put the jacket on and automatically fell in love with it. It fit perfectly and the leather would be added protection.

Beth walked out into the hall and to the kitchen area. Noah was raiding the cabinets for anything edible.

"This place must've been untouched cause there's tons of food in here," he said.

"Okay perfect," Beth replied. Beth scrubbed her face with her hands, trying to think of what to do next. "I'll look for some bags to carry the supplies."

She really wasn't feeling well and needed to lie down. But she had to persevere and make this stop short. She didn't even know how they were going to get out of the apartment building if the alley didn't clear out.

Beth walked around the living room, it was pretty big. The place was spotless, but super dusty. Beth hated dust. She walked around opening all the doors, looking for bags. She found some hiking packs in a small storage closet. She took them back to Noah and began stuffing the food inside.

"I'm gonna go check if the building is safe. We can't linger here much longer, Dawn will never let us off this easily," Noah said.

"Okay, I got your back," Beth replied.

Noah walked to the only door that could be the exit, and slowly opened it, peering out. The hallway was clear.

"Should I try to draw anything out?" Noah asked.

"Yeah, to be safe I suppose," Beth said trying to think of what Daryl would have done.

Noah knocked on the wall next to the door with his fist and shouted.

They waited in strained silence for ten minutes. Nothing came after the noise.

"I think its safe," Beth whispered.

"Okay then, lets finish raiding the place and get outta here," Noah replied.

They packed all they could carry, and what was necessary. Beth opened the front door and walked to the left. She creeped slowly down the hall, staying alert. Noah was right behind her with his pistol ready to fire. They picked the pace up and made it to the lobby without a hitch.

"Ugh, we gotta pass the Grady to get outta this hell hole," Beth said looking around. They had headed in the wrong direction.

"Lets just take the northern route out of the city, Virginia is north," Noah countered.

"My friend is towards the south, thats the way I'm headin'," Beth said stubbornly. "We'll just have to go around the long way to get past. There ain't no way I'm headin' in the wrong direction. He's one of the strongest people I know, we'll get you to your family Noah."

"I can't do that. I gotta get home. I've been away for too long, they need me. I can't slow down now."

"How could you possibly make it out there alone? No one can make it that far by themselves. It's suicide to attempt it. If you died on that trip then you would never make it to your family. Theres no use in tryin'. You're no good to em' dead Noah."

Noah stood there in silence, contemplating her wise words. He knew she was right, he didn't like it, but she was right.

"Alright, I'm gonna trust you and your 'friend'," Noah huffed.

"Good choice, now lets move."


	3. Chapter 3

DARYL

Daryl heard gun shots. He and Carol had been looking for signs of Beth in the city for days. They hand't found a damn thing.

The gun shots could of been anyone, but Daryl had a feeling it was a lead.

"C'mon we gotta' high tail it," Daryl said calmly. He was stressed and tense. All he wanted was to bring Beth back safely. He had been in emotional turmoil ever since she was taken. He still blamed himself for what happened.

"She's strong Daryl, she'll make it," Carol said soothingly. Daryl loved Carol, she was one of the good ones. But at that moment he didn't give a shit about her lame attempts to console him. He just had to get to Beth. If she was still alive.

"Yeah, tsh, lets go," Daryl said gruffly.

There was a parking garage up ahead that looked promising.

"In there," Daryl directed. He took a gasoline doused notepad from his pack and lit it on fire. He threw it far away to distract the walkers from the entrance. The walkers all ambled over to it mindlessly. Daryl snuck around the corner. He fluidly took out a walker with his cross bow, and jogged in. He bent and snatched the arrow from the walkers head and kept going. Carol was close behind watching his back. The wings on his vest had turned black.

She knew Beth's capture had seriously done something to him. Daryl wasn't the same. He had been so happy to see Carol when they reunited, but it didn't last long. He had shut her out again.

They jogged through the empty parking garage and up a flight of stairs to the sky bridge. The doors were boarded up. They opened the door with a clank.

The smell was awful. There were walkers trapped in sleeping bags all over the floor. They were the sick that were left to die alone. Tents were set up, with walkers still in them.

Carol and Daryl stabbed the walkers as they walked past. Daryl shot a walker with his cross bow. Then he looked up at a flailing tent with a snarling walker inside.

"Some days I don't know what the hell to think," he huffed, snatching the arrow from the walkers skull. He put the arrow between his teeth and kept moving.

Carol stayed silent, and scooted around the tents with Daryl close behind. They slipped through the crack in the doors and went to look around.

BETH

Beth and Noah were running out of the apartment building. Noah was still limping and it was getting worse. There were several walkers around, but nothing they couldn't handle. They took out what was in their way.

They moved for about two hours. They were making progress. Noah's leg was beginning to give him some trouble.

"We should stop somewhere. Your leg needs rest. Maybe we can find something to rap it," Beth said.

"Nah I'm fine. It doesn't need rapping," Noah replied, limping along.

"It'll just cause problems later if we don't try to treat it. C'mon, there's a parking garage over there, looks clear enough," Beth insisted.

"Fine."

They walked into the garage, keeping alert. Beth lead Noah to the sky bridge, assuming high ground would be best. They climbed the flight of stairs and opened the door with a clank.


	4. Chapter 4

Daryl looked up. He heard the doors to the sky bridge open. Last he checked, walkers couldn't open doors. He whistled to Carol, who had been resting on an office sofa, and signaled he heard someone. Carol jumped up and checked her riffles safety.

They opened the door to the office, and creeped back to the sky bridge. Daryl stood flush to the wall waiting for who ever was there to come through the chained doors. Carol was right next to him aiming, prepared to take out who ever threatened them.

"Someones been here Noah," came an angelic voice Daryl would know anywhere. Her gentle southern drawl tugged at his heart strings.

Daryl reacted immediately, he dropped his cross bow and slid through the doors. There she was. Beth. Alive. Safe.

"BETH!" Daryl shouted frantically. He had to of been hallucinating. He ran to her and scooped her into an all consuming hug. Daryl tried to get his emotions in check, but he couldn't. He began to sob silently. Carol came out of the doors behind him, and saw the man she loved come back to life.

Beth couldn't believe her eyes. She was in complete shock. She saw Daryl and she immediately began to cry. She felt embarrassed over the tears but couldn't help it. He came for her. He was there. He was safe. This was the last place she expected him to be, but there he was. She wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders and clung to him. In that moment she realized miracles still existed.

"I thought you were dead," Daryl whispered with a tear choked voice. Daryl could practically hear his heart singing. He took in everything about her, every detail. He smelled her clean scent despite it being the zombie apocalypse. Pure and utter joy filled him. As long as he had Beth, he was okay.

"I told yuh you would miss me when I was gone Daryl Dixon," Beth whispered back. She barely got the words out. She was beginning to sob uncontrollably. She tried to let go of him but he wouldn't let her out of the hug. So she continued to cling to him. Beth never cried. Not anymore. She cried out of relief and joy. She thought she might never see him again, but there he was in all his leather vested glory.

Carol and Noah were standing off to the side watching the two hold on to each other for dear life. They felt like they were intruding on an incredibly intimate moment that went deeper than love. It was the reunion of two souls meant to be. Beth and Daryl were completely oblivious to the world around them, all they could see was one another.

Noah cleared his throat, trying to draw their attention. Daryl looked up and looked around him. He let go of Beth when he realized almost ten minutes had passed.

Daryl roughly wiped his eyes, and turned to Noah. "Who're you?" Daryl asked almost defensively. He knew he felt guilt for what happened to Beth, but he never realized how much he missed her. Like really missed her. He felt like he hadn't seen the sun in years.

"I'm Noah, I escaped Grady Memorial with Beth earlier today."

"Grady Memorial? The hospital?" Carol chimed in.

"Carol!" Beth squeaked, just noticing her. Beth ran over and hugged Carol. She was an emotional reck. Carol hugged the younger woman back, feeling almost jealous of Daryl's response to her. Daryl hadn't even cried when Carol returned.

"Thank God you're okay Beth, everyone thought you were dead," Carol told her. She really did miss Beth, but a little voice in the back of her mind was telling her not to. That she was a threat to her and Daryl's relationship.

"We gotta get movin'," Daryl said. "The group still gotta be at the church."

Beth detached herself from Carol and turned to Daryl. "The group?" She asked.

"Yeah, we all found each other, I'll tell yuh all about it later. It's a long story," Daryl said gently.

"Uh," Noah said.

"Oh, Noah can come right?" Beth asked.

Daryl turned to the younger man, sizing him up. Daryl didn't know how he felt about Beth and some young punk. Daryl didn't like em' the moment he saw em'.

"You gotta answer some questions first," Daryl said to Noah, "How many walkers you killed?"

"Countless," Noah replied.

"How many people you killed?"

"None."

"Why?"

"I haven't needed to."

Daryl kept looking at him. "Okay, fine," Daryl told him. "You gotta hold your own though, ain't no hand holdin' comin' from any of us."

If this was the friend Beth was so dead set on finding, Noah didn't see the appeal. The dude was an ass.

"Is Maggie okay?" Beth asked just realizing her sister could of made it.

"Yeah, Maggie, Glenn, Judith, Tyreese, Carl, Rick, Sasha, Bob, and Michonne are all alive," Carol told her.

"Oh thank god!" Beth said letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

Carol didn't know how to feel. She was watching the way Beth and Daryl kept staring at each other, and was jealous. Carol loved Daryl, even though they had never acted on those feelings, she assumed he felt the same. Carol felt a claim on Daryl. Beth was a sweet girl, and she loved Beth, but the way she was looking at him made her almost angry.

"Let's go then," Daryl said. He went back to get his cross bow and packs he had thrown down in a hurry.

"What happened to you Beth?" Carol asked. "Did anyone hurt you?"

"No not really, I'm okay, nothin' I couldn't handle," Beth said.

Daryl walked past and ordered them all to follow. Beth was right on his heels, determined not to let him out of her sight ever again. She was so excited that Maggie and all the others were safe. She wanted nothing more than for them all to be alive. For the first time in a long time, Beth smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

**Helloooo! I feel like for my first fanfic, I'm doing decent. Constructive criticism is always welcome on Daryl and Beth's relationship. I wanna improve for the betterment of my OTP. I don't want to completely lose the character's real personalities in my day dreaming. Second opinions always help! (Seriously critique away.) Enjoy.**

The small group was heading out of the city. It was almost dark and Daryl was thinking they needed to hunker down for the night. The new kid's leg was injured and was probably hurting like hell. They hadn't been able to find a running car so they had to walk. Fighting their way out of Atlanta was hard. There were so many walkers. Beth and Daryl didn't care though, they were reunited.

They hadn't spoken of their emotional reunion all day. Daryl was never much of a talker, so Beth didn't mention it. They weren't together or anything, so what reason would Beth have for bringing it up? Daryl probably just thought she was a kid. It would be weird. He didn't see her that way.

She felt like she needed to though. Beth felt a certain attraction to Daryl, nothing like ever before. When she was separated from him, she realized how much she really cared about him. Despite all of his harsh ways, and all his misgiving, deep down she felt something. He made her feel safe, and made her feel calm.

Daryl was emotionally confused. When he looked at Beth he saw a young woman, surprisingly strong, and determined to survive. He never cared for someone like he cared for Beth. Beth, was a different story. When he looked at her, his soul lit up. It never did that before. When she was taken he was broken. He never really appreciated her until she was gone. But now that she was back, so was he. Something awakened in him. As happy as he was, it scared the hell out of him. He couldn't take care of her, shit, he couldn't even keep her safe. Why the hell was he thinking like she would even be interested in someone like him anyway? He couldn't disrespect Hershel in that way. Maggie would probably kill him. He didn't even know how he really felt. Was he really even capable of love? His father killed his love.

"We should stop somewhere," Carol said, interrupting Daryl's internal struggle.

"I know, Its gettin' late," Daryl replied.

They were on the outskirts of Atlanta, in a residential area. Daryl lead them to a large house that looked as good as any. He stopped at the front door and banged. He listened for any sign of walkers inside. A walker that looked like a lonely cat lady came to the door snarling. It threw its self up against the glass windows on the door.

"Now that's a face not even a mama could love," Daryl said, "Y'all step back."

Everyone stepped off the porch, and Daryl swung the door open. He quickly shot the walker in the head and it dropped to the floor with a thud. Daryl yanked the arrow from it's head and walked inside.

Beth followed right behind him like she had been doing for the past four hours of walking. Carol and Noah walked in behind them and spread out to check the rest of the house. Daryl went straight for the kitchen, not having eaten all day. Daryl and Beth entered the kitchen and started raiding the cabinets. There were a few cans of food, and a ton of cat food. The lady had to of spent her entire budget on cats.

"Fuckin' wasteful people," Daryl muttered, " She must'a spent all her damn money on cats. Did her a whole lotta' good."

Beth looked over at Daryl, "It's probably what made her happiest. People should be allowed to do what makes em' happy. Well, as long as it ain't nothin' bad," Beth said gently looking into his blue eyes. She didn't know why she had just said that. He probably thought she was crazy.

Daryl just looked at her, trying to form a response. He didn't know how to respond to that. The way Beth was looking at him made him worry. She had never looked at him like that before. A whole lot of what ifs were running through his head.

"I suppose," Daryl said gruffly.

They both turned back to their cabinets and put all of the edible food on the dusty kitchen table. Beth sat down in a chair and her shoulders collapsed to the table. She had been feeling sick and tired all day, but it was finally catching up to her. All she needed was a nice long nap.

"Go on," Daryl ordered her, "Go find a bed and get some sleep. You look like a walker."

"Gee, thanks. So charmin'," Beth replied sarcastically, "I'm fine I just gotta sit a second."

There was no way Beth was leaving his side anytime soon.

"No, you need rest. Go sleep Beth. You ain't no good half sick. Nothin' but a burden." As soon as Daryl said the harsh words he regretted them. Her face fell and he could'a swore her eyes misted over.

Beth rose from the table and quickly walked out. She passed Carol on the way and didn't slow. She had no idea where she was going in the big house, but stairs always lead to bedrooms. She ran upstairs and into the closest bedroom.

Daryl swore under his breath and ran his hands through his hair. He didn't know why he lashed out at her. She hadn't done anything wrong, he knew that, but he panicked. The way she looked at him… he didn't know how to handle it.

Carol walked into the kitchen and watched Daryl. For a split second he looked distraught, but then he looked up and noticed her. He calmed his expression and went back to sorting food.

"What's wrong with Beth?" Carol prodded.

"How should I know, she's a chick," Daryl huffed.

"What'd you say to her?"

"I don't know, I might'a been a little harsh," Daryl admitted shrugging his shoulders, not meeting Carol's eyes.

"You can't be cruel to her Daryl, you were all she had for the longest time. She was kidnapped for gods sakes. Jesus you can't shut her out." Carol knew she was right. She was still a little uncomfortable with the way Daryl seemed to care for Beth, but there was nothing she could do about it. Carol couldn't be that selfish and petty.

Daryl contemplated Carols words. He didn't know how to feel. She was so young and innocent. He felt like a dirty bastard for even thinking about her. He just didn't know. The best plan of action right was to just push her away. Keeping her out kept them both safe.

As soon as Beth slammed the door to what appeared to be a guest room, she fell back against the door and slid to the floor. She put her head on her knees and just sobbed. She could of sat and cried forever.

Daryl made her feel things she didn't know she could feel. She had never really loved any of her boyfriends. What she felt for Daryl was, different. She knew he had always had a hard life. Daryl had been through so much. There was no way he felt the same as she did. They were built differently. They had absolutely nothing in common, other than survival. But, he didn't have to be cruel.

Beth rose from the floor and walked to a mirror on the wall. She looked at her reflection. Her hair was a mess as usual and her eyes were puffy from crying. She cleaned herself up as best she could and looked herself in the eye. She turned away and paced the room. Beth sat on the bed and fell back. Closing her eyes, she drifted to sleep, dreaming of a world where Daryl Dixon was just a normal guy…


End file.
